Are You Satisfied With “Normal”?
“Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work and driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for – in order to get to the job you need to pay for the clothes and the car, and the house you leave vacant all day so you can afford to live in it.” ~ Ellen Goodman
Allow me to get all “Scriptural” on you for a moment to let you know that God brought you into this world to live abundantly, to be prosperous, to make a difference.
In Isaiah 48:17 He says, “I am the Lord your God who teaches you to profit.”
Job 36:11 says, “If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity,…”
Duet 8:18 tells us, “He gives you the ability to produce wealth,…”
So let me ask you something: Are you a Producer of wealth or a Consumer of wealth?
Do you get up 30 minutes before your competition and co-workers with a plan for the day (that includes a list you can’t possibly finish, which is the subject of another Weekly Whisper) and start improving your life and the lives of your family by delivering a product or service of value, that is needed by your community and marketplace?
Or do you hit the snooze 6 times, drag your butt into work tired and late, complaining of traffic, plop down at your desk, check a few emails, roll your eyes at the report you’re behind on, tell your co-worker how stupid your clients and prospects are and how stupid “management” is because you don’t have any good leads and then go home with nothing accomplished and wonder why you’re so tired and disgruntled and in debt?
If the former describes you read on. If the latter describes you slap yourself in the forehead 3 times, do 10 Jumping Jacks, stand at attention with your heels together, feet at a 45 degree angle, shoulders back and down, chin in, thumbs along the seams of your trousers and READ THIS ALOUD 10 TIMES before you add yourself to the double digit unemployment our President said he inherited. (Maybe I should send my letter on “Responsibility = Control = Responsibility” letter to D.C., but I digress.)
I won’t bore you with yet another goal setting email because, frankly (do I ever write any other way), Covey and Tony and Oprah, et al have produced enough of those. But allow me to touch on one specific thing you can work on to grow your business sooner rather than later and that is to STOP BEING NORMAL when it comes to your marketing and advertising, which includes the first words that come out of your mouth when you are networking or prospecting.
You stop being normal and START BECOMING INTERESTING, even INTRIGUING, when you learn to pique the attention of your prospect within the first 3-7 seconds of meeting. (Physiologically you are exciting the area of the brain known as “Broca’s area” but that’s yet another topic for another Weekly Whisper.)
So just how good are your headlines, your opening statements, your elevator pitch, your Unique Selling Proposition (USP), your Unique Value Proposition (UVP)?
Here are some examples of headlines I have read or taught or used over the last several years in my various training programs:
- “This will make you feel like you’re 16 years old again — but with better judgment.” (Health supplement, energy drink, vitamins, gym membership, exercise CD, psychoanalysis)
- “There are two types of people in the world . . . those who get an extra paycheck in their mailbox every week, and those who don’t.” (Investment services, direct marketing business opportunity, sales and marketing consulting [my personal favorite].
- “This will make your skin feel like you’re 16 years old, but without the acne.” (Skin care, health supplement, spa treatment, facial treatment)
- “How would you like to get a check every time your neighbor picks up the phone?” (Cellular plans, text plans, phone service)
- “I show people how to fire their boss.” (Sales training, investment services, direct marketing opportunity)
- “Make your skin younger while you sleep.” (Facial cream, etc)
- “3 secrets your boss doesn’t want you to know.” (Franchise sales, personal development programs)
- “Why your job is making you poor.” (Mix and match any from above.)
- “How to laugh at morning commuters from the comfort of your bed.” (Ditto)
Now be honest: aren’t all of these better than what you’re using on a regular basis? I know you’ve probably come up with some good ones in the past but you either forget or don’t have the guts to use them in print or verbally and then you KICK YOURSELF for not doing so.
Please use this letter as a gentle – or not-so-gentle – boot in the rear to give you the courage and motivation to stop being normal when it comes to selling and marketing. Consumers are clinging to their wallets like my 19-month old Ella was clinging to her Minnie Mouse sippy cup at the “Happiest Place on Earth” last week and if you are to win them over you had best be getting and keeping their attention with your words and your headlines. And you better start now.
Remember, Life is good. It’s gooder when you’re selling.
The Sales Whisperer®
P.S. The July 2nd “Sell More. Work Less. Fix Your Follow Up Workshop” is almost sold out. Look for a webinar version to be scheduled soon so I can accommodate more participants and reach everyone beyond SoCal. If you’d like me to conduct this training or any of my other sessions live at your company drop me a note and we’ll see when we can make it happen.
P.P.S. There is a new, simple “Weekly Whisper” sign up form here on the website. To make sure you continue receiving these Weekly Words of Wisdom please take 15 seconds to enter your first name and email and make sure you are double opted-in and add my email address to your address book so the junk mail filters don’t eat it!
